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My Nest of Silence
Four starred reviews!
“Evocative prose and illustrations bring to life…[the] heart-wrenching decisions and considerations that Japanese Americans had to face…[and] their endurance, sacrifices, and resilience.” —Susan H. Kamei, author of When Can We Go Back to America?
Told in a brilliant blend of prose and graphic novel, this “magnificent, essential” ( Booklist , starred review) middle grade story about a Japanese American family during World War II is written and illustrated by Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature winner Matt Faulkner.
Manzanar is nothing like home. Yet the relocation center is where Mari and her family have to live, now that the government has decided that Japanese Americans aren’t American enough. Determined to prove them wrong, Mari’s brother Mak has joined the army and is heading off to war. In protest, Mari has stopped talking for the duration of the war. Or at least until Mak comes home safe.
Still, Mari has no trouble expressing herself through her drawings. Mak, too, expresses himself in his letters home, first from training camp and later from the front lines of World War II, where he is fighting with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. But while his letters are reassuring, reality is not: Mak is facing danger at every turn, from racism within the army to violence on the battlefield.
In turns humorous and heartbreaking, Mari and Mak’s story will stick with readers long after the last page.
“Evocative prose and illustrations bring to life…[the] heart-wrenching decisions and considerations that Japanese Americans had to face…[and] their endurance, sacrifices, and resilience.” —Susan H. Kamei, author of When Can We Go Back to America?
Told in a brilliant blend of prose and graphic novel, this “magnificent, essential” ( Booklist , starred review) middle grade story about a Japanese American family during World War II is written and illustrated by Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature winner Matt Faulkner.
Manzanar is nothing like home. Yet the relocation center is where Mari and her family have to live, now that the government has decided that Japanese Americans aren’t American enough. Determined to prove them wrong, Mari’s brother Mak has joined the army and is heading off to war. In protest, Mari has stopped talking for the duration of the war. Or at least until Mak comes home safe.
Still, Mari has no trouble expressing herself through her drawings. Mak, too, expresses himself in his letters home, first from training camp and later from the front lines of World War II, where he is fighting with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. But while his letters are reassuring, reality is not: Mak is facing danger at every turn, from racism within the army to violence on the battlefield.
In turns humorous and heartbreaking, Mari and Mak’s story will stick with readers long after the last page.
384 pages, Paperback
Published October 24, 2023
13 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Matt Faulkner
47 books45 followersMatt is married to author and children’s librarian, Kris Remenar, and lives with their children in Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
January 2, 2023
4.5⭐
I read most of this YA novel in one sitting. We are introduced to teenage Mari Asai and her family, Japanese-Americans who have been living in the Manzanar internment camp during World War 2. Mari decides to take a vow of silence when her brother signs on to the army as she believes it will keep him safe.
I loved the alternating POVs of compelling prose and gripping graphic novel: Mari's voice was so authentic that it felt like I was reading a memoir, while Mak's experiences at the WWII frontline was fraught with tension. I wished the book was longer as I wanted to know more about the Asais and their lives after the worst of the war. They felt so much like real people.
One thing that struck me was how the 442nd Infantry Regiment, made up almost entirely of Japanese-Americans, chose to defend and fight for their country despite all the racism and atrocities that they had been committed against them.
I highly recommend this illuminating and propulsive historical fiction that sheds light on lesser-known parts of history.
I read most of this YA novel in one sitting. We are introduced to teenage Mari Asai and her family, Japanese-Americans who have been living in the Manzanar internment camp during World War 2. Mari decides to take a vow of silence when her brother signs on to the army as she believes it will keep him safe.
I loved the alternating POVs of compelling prose and gripping graphic novel: Mari's voice was so authentic that it felt like I was reading a memoir, while Mak's experiences at the WWII frontline was fraught with tension. I wished the book was longer as I wanted to know more about the Asais and their lives after the worst of the war. They felt so much like real people.
One thing that struck me was how the 442nd Infantry Regiment, made up almost entirely of Japanese-Americans, chose to defend and fight for their country despite all the racism and atrocities that they had been committed against them.
I highly recommend this illuminating and propulsive historical fiction that sheds light on lesser-known parts of history.
March 30, 2022
What an amazing novel/graphic novel hybrid! This historical fiction book tells about an important, often overlooked time in our country's history: the internment of thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the young Japanese American men who enlisted to fight for the country that imprisoned their families.
Mak volunteered to fight for the US Army even though our country has imprisoned their family for years in the Manzanar internment camp. He's now in the 100th/442nd battalion, also known as the "Go For Broke" battalion because they were thrown into the most dangerous areas of fighting in Europe. This battalion went on to rescue a troop from Texas, the "Lost Battalion", who'd been surrounded by Germans for six days. The "Go For Broke" battalion lost hundreds of men and still managed to rescue those troops but didn't get the recognition they deserved.
While Mak fights in Europe, his little sister, Mari, is still in the internment camp fighting her own battles with loss and fear. Mari has decided not to speak until Mak comes home thinking that maybe her silence will keep her brother safe.
I've never seen a book like this before. It's stunning in its art and its words. It's a must read.
Mak volunteered to fight for the US Army even though our country has imprisoned their family for years in the Manzanar internment camp. He's now in the 100th/442nd battalion, also known as the "Go For Broke" battalion because they were thrown into the most dangerous areas of fighting in Europe. This battalion went on to rescue a troop from Texas, the "Lost Battalion", who'd been surrounded by Germans for six days. The "Go For Broke" battalion lost hundreds of men and still managed to rescue those troops but didn't get the recognition they deserved.
While Mak fights in Europe, his little sister, Mari, is still in the internment camp fighting her own battles with loss and fear. Mari has decided not to speak until Mak comes home thinking that maybe her silence will keep her brother safe.
I've never seen a book like this before. It's stunning in its art and its words. It's a must read.
April 20, 2023
Part graphic novel and part regular novel, My Nest of Silence casts light on Japanese American internment and the erasure of Japanese American soldiers during World War II. It’s beautifully written and illustrated, and bittersweet in a way that only books with child narrators can be.
I took probably eight years of US history in school, and not a single class mentioned Japanese American internment. I’m glad this book exists.
I took probably eight years of US history in school, and not a single class mentioned Japanese American internment. I’m glad this book exists.
November 23, 2023
Really enjoyed this YA novel about Japanese Internment Camps. The book included illustrations comic book style to share about the main character’s brother experience as a soldier which was unique.
January 31, 2023
I love this book so much, and I wish that I could read a sequel. So engaging and amazing to read, and such racism breaks my heart. As an Asian myself (not Japanese), I almost started crying. I noticed it’s mainly a four out of five and that’s understandable. I have experienced racism myself, and someone who has felt the pain can understand a bit better. I wish that this didn’t keep happening, but it’s not hard for others to act like that. Even people of the same color will be racist to each other, and it’s sickening. I wish I could ignore it, but it’s so hard for this to keep inside. I hope in the future this won’t happen again. I love this so much, and it’s a hard book to read but so worth it, I read it over and over because it’s so engaging. I wish you all who read this will enjoy the book itself, and have an experience you all will enjoy, mention this book to others.
October 16, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read a digital ARC of this book. And thank you to the author for telling this story. I truly feel seen, and can't wait to share it with my own children.
I try to imagine the impact this book would've had on me as a child, and how much it would've meant to me. I grew up knowing quite a lot about the Japanese internment camps that several of my own relatives and family friends were sent to during WWII. My great-grandfather and great-uncles lived in Wyoming back then, but spent summers on the west coast helping out at a relative's farm. They spent time in one of the relocation centers, and my grandmother, who was married to my Japanese American grandfather who enlisted in the Army, sent many letters and petitions against the camps.
On the other side of my family, my mother's side, my grandparents were raising a family of 10 children in Maui, having left Japan in 1920 to work in the sugar cane plantations in Hawaii. I loved seeing local Hawaii boys represented in this book as part of the 442nd all Japanese regimen, as it's a huge source of pride that despite the discrimination and mistreatment that these soldiers experienced, they fought for their beloved America nonetheless.
But on to the book itself! I absolutely loved the format - the hybrid mix of a novel with traditional chapters representing life in the internment camp from little sister Mari's point of view, interspersed with graphic novel sections representing big brother Mak's experience as a soldier in the 442nd regimen. The storytelling was superb, and the formats merged together seamlessly.
Both siblings experienced hardships but demonstrated perseverance and resilience and heart. These are characters that I felt a kinship with. Because the target audience of this book are children, there is nothing too violent or graphic despite the harsh conditions and tragic circumstances.
A must read for young readers! I will be getting a copy for my own children as soon as it comes out!
I try to imagine the impact this book would've had on me as a child, and how much it would've meant to me. I grew up knowing quite a lot about the Japanese internment camps that several of my own relatives and family friends were sent to during WWII. My great-grandfather and great-uncles lived in Wyoming back then, but spent summers on the west coast helping out at a relative's farm. They spent time in one of the relocation centers, and my grandmother, who was married to my Japanese American grandfather who enlisted in the Army, sent many letters and petitions against the camps.
On the other side of my family, my mother's side, my grandparents were raising a family of 10 children in Maui, having left Japan in 1920 to work in the sugar cane plantations in Hawaii. I loved seeing local Hawaii boys represented in this book as part of the 442nd all Japanese regimen, as it's a huge source of pride that despite the discrimination and mistreatment that these soldiers experienced, they fought for their beloved America nonetheless.
But on to the book itself! I absolutely loved the format - the hybrid mix of a novel with traditional chapters representing life in the internment camp from little sister Mari's point of view, interspersed with graphic novel sections representing big brother Mak's experience as a soldier in the 442nd regimen. The storytelling was superb, and the formats merged together seamlessly.
Both siblings experienced hardships but demonstrated perseverance and resilience and heart. These are characters that I felt a kinship with. Because the target audience of this book are children, there is nothing too violent or graphic despite the harsh conditions and tragic circumstances.
A must read for young readers! I will be getting a copy for my own children as soon as it comes out!
April 20, 2023
4.5 stars - Loved this one, just wanted more resolution at the end! I almost think there could be a sequel, and I'd really enjoy that too!
May 1, 2023
This book was really good. I thought it provided really good insight on what Japanese Concentration camps were like and what the war was like. 👍🏾
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February 4, 2024i read this for battle of the books. the message was really important and i learned new things too!
January 10, 2023
A Japanese American family is incarcerated at Manzanar during WWII. This story is told in two points of view: Mari, who is living with her parents at Manzanar, and Mak, her 18-year-old brother, who has joined the Army and is writing to her from basic training and then combat. His story is told in graphic novel format. I think this is the first graphic novel/prose hybrid that I have read and it really worked for this story. Mari has taken a vow of silence until her brother returns safely and this just adds to her struggle to communicate with her parents, and their attempts to understand Mari. Mak’s experiences as a Japanese American soldier are relayed to Mari in letters in a protective and reassuring way but the real horrors of war are shown in stunning black-and-white panels (the inequities that Japanese Americans faced, the army’s dismissive, racist behaviors, war hospitals, death and dying, etc.).
There are other historical fiction books set during WWII but I think this one brings a new perspective. Great author's note where Faulkner shares his family connection to the internment camps and his reason for writing the book. Includes bibliographical references.
There are other historical fiction books set during WWII but I think this one brings a new perspective. Great author's note where Faulkner shares his family connection to the internment camps and his reason for writing the book. Includes bibliographical references.
January 10, 2023
In this middle grade historical fiction novel, Matt Faulkner sheds light on a little-known piece of American history - the uprooted lives of Japanese Americans during WWII. This poignant story is told through the eyes of Mari and Mak Asai with alternating points of view. Mari is 10 years old and living with her parents in Manzanar Internment Camp. Mak is her 18-year-old brother who volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army to prove his allegiance to his country. He is assigned to the all-Japanese 442nd “Go For Broke” Regiment. Mari decides to take a vow of silence when her brother joins the army as she believes it will keep him safe. Mari’s story is told through evocative prose while Mak’s story is told through letters home and compelling graphic scenes.
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November 25, 2022The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, and Mari and her family have been relocated from their small farm to the Japanese internment camp Manzanar. They share a small 20 x 20 room in the barracks and eat in the dining hall. Mari spends her time drawing what she sees in her new surroundings and hanging out with her older brother. She loves Mak despite the teasing and the noogies.
When Mak turns 18, Mari is shocked that he decides to enlist in the army. She cries as he climbs on the bus and heads off to who knows where. He begins writing her letters to let her know what he can about his new life. The letters are often vague and never enough to really comfort Mari. She pledges not to speak until he is safely home from the war.
Most people praise Mari for her vow of silence, but she is teased by the kids at school and her father complains that her behavior is "abnormal." Mari stays true to her promise hoping that her sacrifice will help Mak. Her drawing and his letters are her only hope.
At the same time readers learn of Mari's life in the internment camp, Mak shares his army life through his letters and through graphic novel format tales of boot camp and life on the battlefield in Europe. His talent as a mechanic earns him a job driving a jeep for an upper-level officer, but it doesn't keep him from seeing some hardcore action on the front. Everything he does is designed to hopefully keep him safe and headed back to Mari and his family.
Author Matt Faulkner first wrote about his fascination with the Japanese internment camps in Gaijin: American Prisoner of War in which he used a graphic novel format throughout. In MY NEST OF SILENCE Faulkner combines prose with graphic novel art to tell Mari and Mak's stories. This unique approach takes readers directly into the lives of both characters as it provides gripping details and fast-paced action. This work of historical fiction is perfect for teen and adult history buffs or anyone looking for an awesome read.
When Mak turns 18, Mari is shocked that he decides to enlist in the army. She cries as he climbs on the bus and heads off to who knows where. He begins writing her letters to let her know what he can about his new life. The letters are often vague and never enough to really comfort Mari. She pledges not to speak until he is safely home from the war.
Most people praise Mari for her vow of silence, but she is teased by the kids at school and her father complains that her behavior is "abnormal." Mari stays true to her promise hoping that her sacrifice will help Mak. Her drawing and his letters are her only hope.
At the same time readers learn of Mari's life in the internment camp, Mak shares his army life through his letters and through graphic novel format tales of boot camp and life on the battlefield in Europe. His talent as a mechanic earns him a job driving a jeep for an upper-level officer, but it doesn't keep him from seeing some hardcore action on the front. Everything he does is designed to hopefully keep him safe and headed back to Mari and his family.
Author Matt Faulkner first wrote about his fascination with the Japanese internment camps in Gaijin: American Prisoner of War in which he used a graphic novel format throughout. In MY NEST OF SILENCE Faulkner combines prose with graphic novel art to tell Mari and Mak's stories. This unique approach takes readers directly into the lives of both characters as it provides gripping details and fast-paced action. This work of historical fiction is perfect for teen and adult history buffs or anyone looking for an awesome read.
December 20, 2022
Mari and her family are living in the Manzanar internment camp when her older brother Mak announces to the family that he has enlisted in the army and will go fight in WWII. Mari is devastated as the two are close and makes a vow of silence until her brother returns, at first seemingly from depression but as the story progresses Mari seems to think that her silence is protecting her brother. Faulkner alternates between Mari, whose sections are written in prose, and Mak, whose experiences are shown in a graphic novel format. Both storylines are powerful. Mari's time at Manzanar becomes increasingly difficult. Faulkner shows, in an age appropriate way, the brutality of war with Mak coming under fire, his friends becoming severely injured, etc. An Author's Note explains Faulkner's personal connection to the story. There have been several really excellent books about the Japanese internment for young readers over the last few years--make room on your shelf for this one too.
March 27, 2024
I had to research the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team for an internship, and so the timeline and terminology made sense to me--I kept having those moments where I'd childishly/excitedly go, "Hey, I remember this!" I feel like this book is a great first step for young readers to better understand what's often referred to as the "biggest black hole in American history." In his author's notes, Faulkner explains how this story is inspired not only by the stories of Americans of Japanese descent, but its specifics are inspired by his great aunt and her grandchildren (the grandkids were half Japanese, and even though their grandmother was white, she insisted on joining them in the concentration camp--oh, sorry, I mean "internment" camp). I appreciated this explanation because the author is, well, white (at least, from what I can find online), and I wasn't sure what prompted him to write the book, or if it was even right of him to do so. But I was definitely moved by the last page, where he mentions the need for the US to regularly express its regret, how we need to acknowledge the loss felt by those forced into the camps, etc. As a lover of history and an archivist in training, lots of mixed feelings.
It's still a good book.
It's still a good book.
August 18, 2022
Mari's Japanese American family is interned at the Manzanar Camp during World War II. Mari's brother, Mat, joins the army and Mari makes a vow of silence until he returns.
This book gives a realistic perspective of daily life while imprisoned at Manzanar and a look through the lens of a Japanese American soldier as he faces discrimination while fighting for his country.
The story is a mix of prose and graphic novel. I think this method works well with the characters and subject.
I was offered a sample of My Nest of Silence from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book gives a realistic perspective of daily life while imprisoned at Manzanar and a look through the lens of a Japanese American soldier as he faces discrimination while fighting for his country.
The story is a mix of prose and graphic novel. I think this method works well with the characters and subject.
I was offered a sample of My Nest of Silence from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2023
After Pearl Harbor, Mari and her family, along with other Japanese Americans, are rounded up and sent to internment camps. Mari's older brother Mak decides to enlist and fight. His family isn't too happy. Mari makes an oath to be silent while he's gone. She's also a bubbling artist who takes her sketch pad everywhere, documenting what she witnesses. Her brother's letters to Manzanar are optimistic while the 'truth' is shown in the graphic novel part of the novel.
What worked: Genius concept of blending prose and graphic novel format into one amazing story of Japanese Americans during WWII. The author doesn't flinch with his portrayals of what happened in the camps and on the battlefront. Mari sketches document the harshness of the camp. Her earlier recollections of how her family was rounded up and forced from their homes into Manzanar is a story that needs to be told. Japanese Americans like her older brother showed their loyalty to our country even when the United States showed them racism, hatred, and worse.
I loved the idea of contrasting what Mak sends home to the family with illustrations that show the ugliness of being on the front lines. I marveled at the courage and patriotism these young men had even when the country turned its back on them.
Thought-provoking at times along with true images of war. The camp scenes show the hardships and struggles. There was one thing I didn't know. At this time the US also rounded up orphan children and settled them into the camps. Their only 'crime'? Being of Japanese descent. These children were later adopted by other families. The scene where Mari finds joy in the camps in the orphanage is heartwrenching.
Mari's story is one that shows a young girl that hopes being silent will bring her older brother safely home. Readers won't know the final outcome as the author leaves the novel open to not only Mak but Mari and their family's fate.
There's a bibliography at the back that has books and websites for anyone interested in learning more about the Japanese American internment camps.
Brilliant concept merging prose with graphic novel illustrations to show a terrible time in our country's history. I highly recommend. A perfect addition to any school library.
Originally posted at: https://www.yabookscentral.com/my-nes...
What worked: Genius concept of blending prose and graphic novel format into one amazing story of Japanese Americans during WWII. The author doesn't flinch with his portrayals of what happened in the camps and on the battlefront. Mari sketches document the harshness of the camp. Her earlier recollections of how her family was rounded up and forced from their homes into Manzanar is a story that needs to be told. Japanese Americans like her older brother showed their loyalty to our country even when the United States showed them racism, hatred, and worse.
I loved the idea of contrasting what Mak sends home to the family with illustrations that show the ugliness of being on the front lines. I marveled at the courage and patriotism these young men had even when the country turned its back on them.
Thought-provoking at times along with true images of war. The camp scenes show the hardships and struggles. There was one thing I didn't know. At this time the US also rounded up orphan children and settled them into the camps. Their only 'crime'? Being of Japanese descent. These children were later adopted by other families. The scene where Mari finds joy in the camps in the orphanage is heartwrenching.
Mari's story is one that shows a young girl that hopes being silent will bring her older brother safely home. Readers won't know the final outcome as the author leaves the novel open to not only Mak but Mari and their family's fate.
There's a bibliography at the back that has books and websites for anyone interested in learning more about the Japanese American internment camps.
Brilliant concept merging prose with graphic novel illustrations to show a terrible time in our country's history. I highly recommend. A perfect addition to any school library.
Originally posted at: https://www.yabookscentral.com/my-nes...
November 22, 2025
This was a unique way to tell the story of one of the darkest spots in American history. I don't often read graphic novels, but I found this medium to work well with the story. It is able to capture the Japanese-American experience from multiple points of view including inside the camp and Mari's brother, Mak, who joins the armed forces and fights in Europe.
It touches on the complicated nature of wanting to serve the country that has simultaneously imprisoned your own family in a camp. I read this along with Farewell to Manzanar and this is certainly the easier read. I didn't find out until after the fact that this novel is historical fiction and not a true account. It was told in such a realistic manner that I believed that all of this could have actually happened to these characters. Nothing was over-the-top. I had also read George Takei's graphic novel about his experience at another camp from this era, but while his is a personal account, My Nest of Silence actually has the advantage of being able to jump between different characters and paint a fuller picture.
Contains the kind of dark humor that I often enjoy with the backdrop of a very tragic time of American history.
It touches on the complicated nature of wanting to serve the country that has simultaneously imprisoned your own family in a camp. I read this along with Farewell to Manzanar and this is certainly the easier read. I didn't find out until after the fact that this novel is historical fiction and not a true account. It was told in such a realistic manner that I believed that all of this could have actually happened to these characters. Nothing was over-the-top. I had also read George Takei's graphic novel about his experience at another camp from this era, but while his is a personal account, My Nest of Silence actually has the advantage of being able to jump between different characters and paint a fuller picture.
Contains the kind of dark humor that I often enjoy with the backdrop of a very tragic time of American history.
June 9, 2023
📖, ★★★★★
4.5 is the lowest, 5 is the highest.
I fell in love with this book, I could not put it down as soon as I picked it up, and I read 100 pages before even buying it.
the art style is stunning.
plot wise was a little bit meh to me, but what kept me in it was the characters and the art.
"the plot doesn't happen to the characters, the characters happen to the plot" - idk who said this 😭
characters:
mari is meh in the beginning, but when she her brother leaves- the angst takes place. (I love angst.) I feel really sorry for her, and i'm glad she got to leave manazar, in one piece.
mac is a funny brother, and that starts to go away when he signed up. so sad to see how his story played out aswell.
everyone else is fine, parents are a little flat, but that's it.
💭: really good, but not crying good. still felt good to finish, and happy that they made it. the title is carefully crafted, understanding it when you read further on. I genuinely forgot to read the parents talking in (insert language here, don't want anyone to be offended & i'm too lazy to look through the book.)
🔨: the parents need a bit of tweening character wise.
4.5 is the lowest, 5 is the highest.
I fell in love with this book, I could not put it down as soon as I picked it up, and I read 100 pages before even buying it.
the art style is stunning.
plot wise was a little bit meh to me, but what kept me in it was the characters and the art.
"the plot doesn't happen to the characters, the characters happen to the plot" - idk who said this 😭
characters:
mari is meh in the beginning, but when she her brother leaves- the angst takes place. (I love angst.) I feel really sorry for her, and i'm glad she got to leave manazar, in one piece.
mac is a funny brother, and that starts to go away when he signed up. so sad to see how his story played out aswell.
everyone else is fine, parents are a little flat, but that's it.
💭: really good, but not crying good. still felt good to finish, and happy that they made it. the title is carefully crafted, understanding it when you read further on. I genuinely forgot to read the parents talking in (insert language here, don't want anyone to be offended & i'm too lazy to look through the book.)
🔨: the parents need a bit of tweening character wise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2025
This book has my highest recommendation. It is the most effective telling of a family and community's life in the American internment camps for Japanese residents that I have read. And among the best storytelling I've ever experienced in print.
I forgot that I hadn't written a review of it yet because I couldn't stop telling people that this was such an important read. Now some time has passed since I last held the book in my hands, so you will excuse me for not remembering every detail.
The story is told in a dual narrative with the main character, a teenage girl, writing letters to her brother, who is stationed in Europe with a unit of Japanese American soldiers (Nissei). The young woman's writing is in the form of text and illustrations (she is an incredible artist) and the brother's story is in graphic novel form. I have never seen this done before and it's brilliant for maintaining a clear and distinct double perspective.
CW for mental health.
Content-wise, something that was really important to learn about in this book was the young woman's psychic break. Frankly, I have never understood how entire generations of people don't have massive breaks of this kind due to intense mental duress. It was important to read about, gently told, and rendered with a steady hand and clear eye. I appreciated everything the author was trying to accomplish.
This was a deep and poignant book, rich in its storytelling and deep in its significance. But I don't want to take any of that away from you, future reader, so hope that you will take it upon yourself to find a physical copy of this book and have your own experience.
I am strong of mind that as Americans in this period of history, especially, it is our utmost duty to reacquaint ourselves with every part of our history.
Companion Reads:
- "They Called Us Enemy," George Takei, Justin Einsinger, et al
- "Displacement," Kiku Hughes
- "In the Country We Love," Diane Guerrero, Michelle Burford
- "Land of the Cranes," Aida Salazar
- "I Am Not a Number," Jenny Kay Depuis, Kathy Kacer, Gillian Newland
- "The Secret Pocket," Peggy Janicki, Carrielyn Victor - don't underestimate this picture book. I read two years ago and think about it regularly
And also, for a different kind of internment: "When Stars Are Scattered," Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed.
I forgot that I hadn't written a review of it yet because I couldn't stop telling people that this was such an important read. Now some time has passed since I last held the book in my hands, so you will excuse me for not remembering every detail.
The story is told in a dual narrative with the main character, a teenage girl, writing letters to her brother, who is stationed in Europe with a unit of Japanese American soldiers (Nissei). The young woman's writing is in the form of text and illustrations (she is an incredible artist) and the brother's story is in graphic novel form. I have never seen this done before and it's brilliant for maintaining a clear and distinct double perspective.
CW for mental health.
Content-wise, something that was really important to learn about in this book was the young woman's psychic break. Frankly, I have never understood how entire generations of people don't have massive breaks of this kind due to intense mental duress. It was important to read about, gently told, and rendered with a steady hand and clear eye. I appreciated everything the author was trying to accomplish.
This was a deep and poignant book, rich in its storytelling and deep in its significance. But I don't want to take any of that away from you, future reader, so hope that you will take it upon yourself to find a physical copy of this book and have your own experience.
I am strong of mind that as Americans in this period of history, especially, it is our utmost duty to reacquaint ourselves with every part of our history.
Companion Reads:
- "They Called Us Enemy," George Takei, Justin Einsinger, et al
- "Displacement," Kiku Hughes
- "In the Country We Love," Diane Guerrero, Michelle Burford
- "Land of the Cranes," Aida Salazar
- "I Am Not a Number," Jenny Kay Depuis, Kathy Kacer, Gillian Newland
- "The Secret Pocket," Peggy Janicki, Carrielyn Victor - don't underestimate this picture book. I read two years ago and think about it regularly
And also, for a different kind of internment: "When Stars Are Scattered," Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed.
April 23, 2025
This is a phenomenal book! I read it because I am interested in learning more about the Japanese Internment, even though it is quite distressing to think that our country treated its citizens the way the Japanese Americans were treated during WWII. I particularly enjoyed the entwining of the graphic novel sections. I could not put this book down until I finished it. I felt particularly attached to Mari. The author did an incredible job of relating her innermost feelings and struggles. I could go on and on, but will simply say, "Read this book!" I am a middle school librarian, and I promote this book to our students. They always enjoy the read. The most recent comment that we got from a student was this, "I want another book to read just like this one." I agree wholeheartedly with the following statement included in the Author's Note at the end of My Nest of Silence, "We need to honor the Japanese American soldiers who sacrificed so much in Europe while their families were imprisoned in America."
February 25, 2023
This is an amazing feat of historical fiction storytelling. It’s about a Japanese American family imprisoned at Manzanar during WWII and the son deciding to join the army and became part of the famous 442nd battalion in France. The daughter Mari decides to stop speaking until her brother Mak is home safely. The selective mutism is a big part of the story. Mari is an artist, and one can imagine that Mak’s illustrated letters home to her are her imaginings about what is happening to him. But that’s not really possible because she couldn’t know the depth and detail that the graphic part of this novel tells. I never tire of learning about different aspects of WWII and this is an outstanding to current middle grade historical fiction.
July 6, 2023
4.5 stars for this novel about one family in a Japanese Internment Camp. for ages 10-14. Part of the book, the older brother in the US Army, is graphic novel format. The parts in the camp are sad and a little scary because of the health and mental health problems of the main character, but the family and Mari's voice make it so compelling to read. The graphic novel portions are sad in a different way, but more funny parts and oh, it's just really good. It ended too soon for me. This book has lots of details about how the Japanese Americans were treated, woven into the story so well. The author is white, but has older relatives that were in the internment camp because their father was Japanese.
February 15, 2025
A creative well written relevant book for today. Japanese Americans placed in concentration camps during WWII simply because they were Japanese. These citizens of the US had done nothing wrong. They were imprisoned for being of Japanese heritage.
Key points about this historical event:
Executive Order 9066:
This order authorized the removal of all people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast, leading to their forced relocation to isolated camps.
Impact on Japanese Americans:
Approximately 120,000 people of Japanese descent, including both first-generation immigrants and American-born citizens, were incarcerated in these camps.
No charges or trial:
Those imprisoned were not given a trial or charged with any crime; their incarceration was solely based on their ethnicity.
Key points about this historical event:
Executive Order 9066:
This order authorized the removal of all people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast, leading to their forced relocation to isolated camps.
Impact on Japanese Americans:
Approximately 120,000 people of Japanese descent, including both first-generation immigrants and American-born citizens, were incarcerated in these camps.
No charges or trial:
Those imprisoned were not given a trial or charged with any crime; their incarceration was solely based on their ethnicity.
January 22, 2023
A brilliant historical fiction/graphic novel mashup. Japanese-American Mari and her family were relocated to the Manzanar Concentration Camp during World War II. Soon after, her big brother Mak joined the army. Mari took a vow of silence when Mak left but expresses herself through her drawing. Faulkner’s vivid drawings of Mak’s time on the front vividly show the horrors of war and the racism that followed Mak from his home in California to Manzanar to boot camp in Mississippi to the front lines in France.
May 11, 2023
I really like the format of this with the comic and narrative combination, especially since the two don't always agree with each other and we're getting a deeper, more realistic look at life in the war than what is being presented in the letters home. Although the book was described to me as a story about Manzanar internment camp, I feel like it's more about the war and treatment of Japanese-Americans at this time period. The comic breaks help to keep the story moving forward, especially since part of the point being presented is that life at the camp is dull and restricted.
November 11, 2023
Read this in one day. Incredible story (part prose, part graphic novel) about the internment of thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the young Japanese American men who enlisted to fight for the country that imprisoned their families. So many of the WWII books I've read focus on the European front, so I appreciated learning more about parts of WWII that I knew less about (the young Japanese American men who enlisted in the army...wow!) Definitely a book that will spark conversation and is one I'll recommend (but maybe not to young MG readers)
January 25, 2024
A Maine Student Book Award nominee for 23|24.
This is the story of Mari and her family during World War II. When her older brother Mak enlists in the army to fight, he leaves behind his family in the Manzanar internment camp. There Mari vows that she will be silent until her brother comes. A beautiful story of resiliency in the face of unimaginable racism and pain. I really enjoyed this, and found the combination of written word, and comic strips for her bothers letters to be a very effective combination.
This is the story of Mari and her family during World War II. When her older brother Mak enlists in the army to fight, he leaves behind his family in the Manzanar internment camp. There Mari vows that she will be silent until her brother comes. A beautiful story of resiliency in the face of unimaginable racism and pain. I really enjoyed this, and found the combination of written word, and comic strips for her bothers letters to be a very effective combination.
December 13, 2022
A story in two parts. The strong story is the graphic novel portion that gives readers the real story of what's happening to Mak as he serves in Europe during World War II. His letters home don't tell the entire story. The prose part of the book focuses on Mak's 10-year-old sister Mari who is stuck in Manaznar. That story focuses on how the camp and the war affect Mari's mental health, a welcome angle of the relocation. The writing was a little too dependent on exclamation points for my taste.
January 23, 2023
A graphic novel and prose come together to tell this compelling story of a family at Manzanar with a son/brother who opts in to fight in the war to show his loyalty to his country, the U.S.
It's a myth that middle-grade books always have a tidy ending. There is nothing neat and tidy about life in and after Manzanar. Faulkner leaves us grappling with the difficulties of the next part of Mari's life, as he should.
It's a myth that middle-grade books always have a tidy ending. There is nothing neat and tidy about life in and after Manzanar. Faulkner leaves us grappling with the difficulties of the next part of Mari's life, as he should.
August 17, 2023
WWII as told through free verse/graphic novel/ letter point of view and not through the usual strictly European theater of war but also American Japanese families forced into prisoner war camps in California, Washington, and Oregon. Wrenching and haunting are words that I would use to describe this along with brave. These stories need to be shared so that this shameful side of America's history is known and not repeated.
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